Passive Recruitment: play it right and avoid the pitfalls

?According to LinkedIn's Global Talent Trends report, 70% of the workforce is classified as "passive". In other words, these people are not actively looking for a job.

So, when you recruit through the traditional methods, you're only reaching 30% of the available workforce. And guess what – that 30% are actively looking at many other roles and opportunities simultaneously. That's some stiff competition for a small slice of the pie.

Here are our top tips for sourcing and recruiting high-quality, passive candidates.

Network, network, network

By their very definition, passive candidates aren't contactable by the usual means. So, the question is how to find them. A solution? You can leverage your connections.

Spend some time asking your network, colleagues, and clients for recommendations. Look internally—your people can be a rich source. Companies can expand their talent pool by 10x by recruiting through employees' networks.

Social media is an obvious channel (see my recent article on using LinkedIn for recruitment). But be mindful of how you make contact (avoid work email addresses, for instance!) and be aware that 46% of people are more likely to accept InMails if they're connected to your current employees.

Be brief!

By their very nature, a passive candidate target will likely be high-quality, senior – and busy!

It's so important how you craft that initial contact. When you reach out, be concise and to the point. Your message should include enough information to get them to respond but don't overwhelm them with details, or they'll switch it off.

The Close - Speed and Efficiency

Take a look at your hiring process: Don't apply an active candidate recruitment process to a passive candidate. You're trying to sell to the candidate, not the other way around, so don't create unnecessary hoops for them to jump through.

Be ready to take action! Once you've reached out and piqued their interest, could you make sure you're primed to offer an interview or direct call with relevant parties? The key point is – don't get a candidate interested and then leave them hanging!

If speed is of the essence, you may be interested to know that 89% of candidates surveyed for the Global Talent Trends report say being contacted by their recruiter can make them accept a job offer faster. I'll just leave that stat there for you. ??

So, what am I saying here?

The passive candidates are there if you can put in the legwork. But tapping into this pool requires dedication, research and a whole lot of persistence. However, ignoring the passive market isn't an option, given the current job market. Your perfect candidate could be out there – they (and you) just don't know it yet!

At Matchking, our extensive network of candidates consists of high-calibre people, many of whom we have long-term, trusted relationships with. Let us do the legwork for you.

Want to find out more? Pick up the phone and give me a call on 01932 829 999 or drop me a DM!

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Stats from the Ultimate List of Hiring Stats